The genetic code is the set of
instructions in a gene that tell the
cell how to make a specific protein.
A, T, G, and C are the "letters" of the DNA code.
They stand for the chemicals
adenine, thymine, guanine, and
cytosine, respectively, that make
up the nucleotide bases of DNA.
The DNA code for each gene combines the four
chemicals in various ways to spell
out 3-letter "words" (codons)
that specify which amino acid is needed at
every step in making a protein.
Source: definition from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Glossary of Genetic Terms.
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